Eighty police officers injured as Algeria protests continue

More than 80 police officers were injured on Friday in the Algerian capital as protests against the country’s ruling regime continued.

Around 200 demonstrators were arrested.

The weekly protests have been largely peaceful but the latest rally resulted in clashes with anti-riot police firing teargas in an attempt to disperse a crowd of several hundred young people in the city center.

They are calling for the removal of President Abdelkader Bensalah who replaced former leader Abdelaziz Bouteflika last week after he resigned. However many see Bensalah as to close to the old regime.

His nomination as interim leader sparked fresh protests. Mass demonstrations in recent weeks have called for a renewal of the political system and a transition period in which key figures from the regime would be excluded.

According to Algeria’s constitution, Bensalah can only stay in office for 90 days and cannot stand in elections planned for July 4, however that has not stopped protesters calling for him to stand down.

The demonstrations started in February not just against Bouteflika but the whole ruling elite.

Japanese compete to qualify in national pillow fighting tournament

Individuals of all ages competed in certainly one of Japan’s quirkiest occasions on Saturday: a pillow combating contest.

Within the small fishing city of Ito, simply 150 kilometres south of Tokyo, groups gathered to qualify for a nationwide pillow combating championship subsequent yr in an occasion began by a gaggle of highschool youngsters in Shizuoka in 2013.

The pillow fighters begin by pretending to sleep on futons. However when the whistle sounds, they spring to their toes and race to get a pillow.

It is a combine between dodgeball and chess as groups throw pillows at one another whereas defending the ‘King’ from being attacked. Duvets can be utilized as shields by one participant on every staff. They play in two-minute units.

Saturday’s regional match contained 16 groups vying for the qualification for the nationwide competitors, which has 64 entrants and is held in February.

The groups draw from a variety of gamers. The gamers come from native companies, highschool basketball groups, and native athletic golf equipment.

“By observe and subject actions, the staff have been in contact a very long time,” stated Kazuteru Takigawa, who at 75 was the oldest participant on Saturday.

It was the staff that had the second youngest competitor — nine-year-old Soda Wamanobe — that gained the match, receiving native produce as their prize and naturally the qualification for subsequent yr’s match.

Fine Gael and Green Party have strong showing in Ireland

After two days of voting in Eire, exit polls confirmed the centre-right ruling social gathering Fantastic Gael (which can be a part of the European Individuals’s Social gathering) popping out on high for the European elections, in keeping with Europe Elects primarily based on nationwide Irish exit polls.

In 2014, the liberal Fianna Fáil social gathering (which might be a part of ALDE on the EU degree) had 425 extra votes than in 2014. This 12 months Fantastic Gael will take the plurality, in keeping with EU Elects.

The Inexperienced Social gathering additionally had a powerful displaying, overtaking the Labour social gathering to change into the fourth largest social gathering in Eire.

Eire’s Inexperienced social gathering obtained simply 4.9% of the vote in 2014 however is anticipated to get 14.8% this 12 months Europe Elects tasks primarily based on a Pink C exit ballot. It might be a 10 level improve for the social gathering which is about to win as many as three of the EU seats, in keeping with the RTE-TG4 RED C exit ballot.

That is the best outcome recorded for the Inexperienced social gathering since its creation in 1981. The Labour social gathering, in the meantime, solely obtained 3.5% of the vote, in keeping with exit polling.

This greatest shock was the Inexperienced Social gathering’s displaying in Dublin. Irish nationwide media RTE and TG4’s exit ballot confirmed Inexperienced candidate Ciarán Cuffe is more likely to high the Dublin constituency with 23 per cent of the vote, electing him on the primary rely.

The Inexperienced Social gathering result’s anticipated to stay constant regardless of the ballot’s margin of error in keeping with nationwide broadcaster RTE.

“There’s a inexperienced wave of public consciousness in Eire. It has been occurring all through Europe and it landed, I feel, in Eire and it’s these local weather strikes, it is these younger individuals standing up and saying we’ve to guard our future,” Inexperienced social gathering chief Eamon Ryan instructed RTE.

The opposite seats shall be shared amongst Fantastic Gael and opposition events Fianna Fáil and Sinn Fein. Counting is more likely to final for a number of days.

Fantastic Gael (EPP) seemed to come back out within the lead within the different two constituencies: South and Midlands North West, in keeping with Irish media experiences. Fianna Fáil (ALDE) noticed a 6 level drop from 22.3% in 2014 to 15.4% in nationwide exit polling.

Eire additionally voted on two divorce referendums and appeared to help easing restrictions on divorce, in keeping with a Pink C exit ballot.

Eire has roughly 3,200,000 eligible voters who elect 11 seats within the EU Parliament, a quantity that can improve to 13 post-Brexit.

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